10 - Quite Assuming

Volts of electricity struck every fiber in her, making her body jump. The cause was a pair of calloused hands touching her bare shoulders while nudging her to walk forward at the same time. She jerked her head at the shameless lad failing right after because he pulled her closer to his athletic build. Her nose inhaled the impudent's misty fragrance and blimey --- she found it intoxicating! 

The impudent man still had the nerve wrapping a knitted scarf around her head. She tried repulsing from his grip to no avail. For unbelievable reasons, her body temperature rose as though she was a torch being lit. Whether it was due to embarrassment or euphoria is unknown even to herself. 

She raised her head a little to peek at him so she knew whose existence she would humiliate.To her utter shock, it was Eli! Her mind went completely blank in an instant.

"Keep going." He murmured, gruff yet tender.

That goes unregistered on her brain for she was internally panicking. Their bodies pressed against each other was felt by every part of her back. His rock-solid chest, for example, enticed her to lean on.

Get a grip, she berated herself. Though, a futile attempt because her thinking process seems regressing below normal. 

In his defense, his intentions were pure. What he aimed is simply to hide Care from the smitten suitors about to fight over the girl in a very improper time and place.  It was easy-peasy as his height towered over her. Plus, his physique covered her perfectly. 

"Make haste while your bodyguards are distracting your parade of suitors." He ordered in a low, raspy voice she believed hypnotizing since her feet involuntarily moved ahead. 

She glanced back at Teddy and Harris staying behind while they fled. Guilt crept to her heart as she recalled all her mean words earlier. What she did not anticipate was both of them gesturing a thumbs up. Her eyes dilated and how much effort she spent to restrain herself from returning to smack their head! The guilt she was supposed to carry dissipated in thin air. She isn’t that dense to not realize the underlying meaning of their gesture. 

"UGH, those two!" She cursed under her breath. 

Her body stiffened as he held her tighter before they veered to an inhabited corner where passersby seldom wander off. She exhaled all suppressed air in her lungs when he took his hands off her shoulders. Exactly at the same second, she reached a humiliating realization. Mere physical contact with the boy nearly drove her to the edge! 

SHAME! 

"Are you alright?" he inquired.

"Why would I not be?" She snapped but regretted quickly seconds later. 

The condescending tone of her voice was uncalled for. However, she catches his boyish half smile. It pierced her heart, spreading a giddy feeling inside her. 

What the heck? 

Her mood today is really off the charts. Is she exhibiting bipolar symptoms or is she just this wimpy when it comes to Eli? 

"Same old Miss Perfect. I'll take that as a thank you." He replied. 

"Silly! I'm not grateful, pauper! I never asked for your help!" She insisted. 

"True, it was your bodyguards who did the second they saw me." He agreed deliberately. 

"Duh, I know. It was their stupid strategy to play cupids!" She seconded in her inner thoughts while still facing him. 

Her eyes locked on the baby's breaths neatly wrapped in sky blue Kraft paper and tied by white ribbon he was holding. Plain simple best describes it. One could assume Eliseo prepared them himself. And she admits it is far compared to the grandest gesture. Money was out of the equation; it was pure effort. Nonetheless, that alone is the reason why her hand instinctively snatched them from his hand. 

The moment she realized what she had done, the action cannot be undone! 

"What are you..." he trailed off. 

His face reflected her shocked expression as if they saw a ghost through the image of each other.

Disgraceful is an understatement. The mademoiselle is out of valid excuses to offer so she hastily turns to the other side to run. Unlucky for her, Eli seized her arm before she took another step. Her face burned crimson red, her mind had gone haywire and her heart lost its normal rhythm. 

Eliseo eyed her with scrutiny. This is beyond worse than getting crushed by my suitors, she lamented. 

"So annoying! Don't make me say it anymore. I accepted it already! Thank you!" she spat. 

Surely it was meant for her. She gave him a favor by accepting the flowers without questions asked. He should be grateful. The point is, it was for HER! 

She chanted the mantra in her head over and over again just so she could somehow pick up torn pieces of her pride. 

"Way to go believing in your nonsense, goddess!" she imagined Marigold would say if she was present. 

His forehead creased in confusion while staring at her who sweated bullets as though the verdict on her was passed as guilty as charged. 

"This is news. I thought you would've preferred tulips or roses but still, that's not for you." he said all grim and serious. 

His matter-of-fact reply was an arrow blazing in fire shot straight to her heart. The recovered shattered pieces of her pride were now burned along with her lame reasoning. She swallowed and swallowed yet the lump in her throat only got bigger. Despite the intent to strike back, she was left running in circles. 

"Hah! It's an impulse reaction since I've been receiving flowers lately! Don't assume! It's not like I expected you to be my sui... my... Whatever!" She rambled to save face although it was too late.

"Hold it right there, Aragon! I can’t simply understand. Don't you have a truckload of flowers in your house?" 

"That's different because these came from you while the rest aren't!" she wanted to reply but her heart had no room to speak for itself. 

With his open palm reaching out to retrieve the baby's breaths, she nearly fainted.

 How can she ever face him again bearing such disgrace? 

The voice of mystical Gallus echoed to her ears. 

“You won't be able to see the red string that connects your wrist to your Fated unless you hold his hand. It takes thirty seconds for it to appear so before that, don't let go no matter what. No matter what!”

I must know, she decided. Then she grabbed his hand instead of returning the flowers.  An electrifying current seeped to her soul as to him, too. 

Eli momentarily stopped dead. When he regained composure, he tried to pull his hand out. Upon sensing this, her grip becomes firmer. After all, there was no bailing out. She must wait till thirty freaking seconds pass! 

"Aragon." he commanded with an authoritative undertone that turned her knees jelly.

"Shi, shi, shi!" She internally panicked. 

Droplets of sweat trickled from her temple to her side cheek as she continued counting. 

"27... 28... 29.." she mentally counted. 

“Aragon.” he uttered, at the near end of his patience. 

She let go and threw the baby's breaths to his chest. The lady was too overwhelmed by frustration to mutter apologies. No red string appeared. To rejoice or to wallow?

She was disconcerted because she felt both. 

"What's up with you?" he probed. 

"And you? I returned your unlovely flowers already! Now give it to the unlucky girl because whoever receives such a cheap treat won't be at the slightest flattered. You pauper could at least buy decent ones. Daisies could've been better." she rambled mindlessly, AGAIN! 

She froze when he took her hand and placed the bouquet on her palm. Thousands of needles pricked her chest slowly burying their way in. He then draws himself back drawing a couple of meters between them yet he seemed so further far-off from her. She cannot even catch his gaze anymore. 

Who would expect receiving flowers would be this heartbreaking? 

"It's yours. I hope you're happy brandishing your point. Though, allow me to correct you. Not every girl is like you who sees the value of things based on its price tag." He whispered before walking past her. 

Aster and Care reunited in the book café where they frequent. Settled in the farthest table. Usual order of iced caramel macchiato and lemon cake slices. Definitely reading materials like two nerds. Most importantly, safe from nuisances for now. 

Being withdrawn from conversation is a typical behavior of Aster whereas the likelihood of Care doing the same is 1 percent out of 100. See, the lady could multitask. She commonly talks non stop while browsing on a chic magazine while Aster listens, losing the point of reading but not putting it down, anyway. Unlike what was happening now.

 Care was sulking on her seat. Aster kept glancing at her, bothered by her silence. A minute later, Ivy joined in bringing her thick, heavy books with her. None of them acknowledged her presence thus Ivy had to take initiative by faking a cough before announcing, "Caspian informed me that our parents arranged a double date for us with you and shy boy Lark." 

Care nods, her expression showed disinterest. 

"I heard you pestered Eli?" Ivy said casually, although her hidden motive is brandished in plain sight. 

Care groaned, immediately diverting her gaze anywhere else except her rival's prying eyes! 

"Who spilled? Perhaps, Marigold the tattletale who has eyes and ears everywhere on Aurum?" she mocked. 

"I don't assume he's all healed up so I guessed pushing forward to that commotion must be painful. How noble he is to aid your rescue when he himself is suffering from fresh wounds." Ivy pressed further, testing her reaction. 

Successfully, Ivy caught the glint of guilt passing briefly in her eyes. She definitely has her speculations. Caress Aragon never falters nor tolerates any man but Eli was the exception to the rule. With him, she acts inconsistent.... tactless, indecisive and irrational! 

This is a usual dilemma for people who are new in love. They possess no idea how to handle their arduous passion. Either it ruins them or the person they harbor it for. Worse, both. 

She smiled evilly upon spotting new customers at the entrance. Bingo, she rejoiced.  

"Look, Eli and Penny are here. What a coincidence!" she whispered. 

"Iv." Aster interceded. By her tone, she was practically begging her sister to be hushed.

Care was easily lured by her instigation. She observed unblinking as Eli and Penny approached the counter. They were grinning and touching! Care's attention shifted next to the bouquet of baby’s breath she fisted tight that its stems might split. 

"This was for her?!" It took her entire will not to scream her thoughts out loud. 

Penelope Johnson was Care's childhood playmate. Right terms, a former friend. They grew distant growing up though their mothers are still the best of friends until to this day. She did not particularly hate her until now. Her blood boiled seeking revenge as she watched the hand of the witch clinging on Eli's arm like tentacles of an octopus.

"Wanna greet them, Care?" Ivy asked. 

"What?" Care replied, realizing she was already half-standing. 

She abruptly sat and put on a I-don't-give-a-shit façade. 

"Who do you think you are, Eliseo Manaloto? I will never ever be affected by the likes of you! Who cares if you probably go out with her?! It's just Penelope Johnson. I am the best; all the others are mere scraps compared to me. Hah, who needs you?! I have several better suitors!" she inwardly whined in a livid fit of rage.

Indeed, love is an unexplored domain which tends to be a deadly battlefield, especially one’s first. Is Caress Aragon prepared to risk her all in the name of love or will she defend her heart even if it means losing the one her heart wants?